Despite the PlayStation 5 being out for well over a year now, many gamers are still unable to purchase a console of their own due to worldwide shipping issues, graphics chip shortages, and a range of other issues on the individual and global scale. If a PlayStation fan is unable to spend a significant portion of their day refreshing social media and storefronts, then the likelihood of them getting a PS5 anytime soon is pretty low.
For the lucky few that own the console, its new hardware and features have all but revolutionized how some play games. With every new AAA that releases on the next-gen console, the sparkly new hardware is shown off in a new light, and the console continues to appear more and more impressive. A powerful SSD, a vastly improved GPU and CPU, built-in 3D audio, and the new DualSense controller all come together to make the PS5 a truly next-gen console.
Using The PlayStation 5's SSD To Reduce Load Times
One of the key pieces of hardware shown off in all the marketing prior to the PS5's release, the 825 GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe Solid-State Drive, also known as an SSD, gives the PlayStation 5 an immediate leg-up over its predecessor. Put simply, the SSD in the PS5 drastically reduces the load time of the games that use the memory device.
The SSD's effect on PlayStation 5 games is immediately noticeable, with the vast majority of PlayStation 5 games loading within mere seconds. Spider-Man: Miles Morales and the Marvel's Spider-Man remaster are two shining examples of the PS5's SSD, with last-gen versions taking around 30 seconds to load into the game, and the PS5 version taking literally only a few seconds. From the PlayStation 5 home-screen, players can be swinging around New York in just under 10 seconds.
These exceptionally fast load times extend to essentially all the PlayStation 5's first-party line-up, with games like Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and Sackboy loading within seconds. For games that can be a little challenging, like Returnal and Demon's Souls, the PS5's SSD makes dying a lot less frustrating, as players can respawn almost instantly.
Using The PlayStation 5's Improved GPU and CPU For Better Performance
As can be expected from a new generation of consoles, the PlayStation 5 has a significantly improved GPU and CPU compared to its predecessor. This essentially allows games to perform drastically better, both in terms of visual fidelity and framerate. Where the original PS4 console was often locked to 30fps, and the PS4 Pro could often only manage 60fps, the PlayStation 5 frequently reaches heights of 120fps, which a lot of lower-end modern TVs aren't even capable of producing.
Both first-party games and last-gen titles alike receive a dramatic performance boost when played on the PlayStation 5, with visuals appearing more vivid and life-like, with a 4K output being available, and the game running at a more consistent, smoother framerate. This hardware also means that the PS5 is capable of using Ray-Tracing technology, which makes lighting effects like more realistic in a game.
Using The PlayStation 5's 3D Audio For Greater Immersion
The PlayStation 5 has built-in 3D audio which can greatly enhance a player's immersion in a game. Using the Tempest Engine, 3D audio is utilized in the vast majority of PS5 titles, and it turned on by default whenever the user plugs in a headset or headphones. 3D audio essentially means that the developer can program in where the sound in a game is coming from.
For instance, in Uncharted: The Legacy of Thieves Collection, Drake's voice can be heard directly in front of the player, while sounds like gunfire and other characters' voices will be heard around the player, with volume of each effect dynamically shifting depending on the player's distance from the source.
While the PS5's 3D audio can be experienced using a variety of headphones and surround sound speakers, the PlayStation 5 Pulse 3D headset is widely regarded as offering the best audio experience on the console. The Pulse headset works hand-in-hand with the console's Tempest Engine to fully immerse the player in the game, and provide a vast range of dynamic sound effects.
Using The PlayStation 5's DualSense To Elevate The Gameplay Experience
One of the PlayStation 5's most exciting hardware features is its brand new controller design. Where the last few PlayStation iterations have mainly stuck to same general DualShock formula, the PS5 decided to take a risk, and innovate. The end result is the new, fantastic DualSense controller, that offers haptic feedback, along with some adaptive triggers.
While it certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea, the DualSense controller has found a very passionate fan-base, with many strongly believing that its features are true game-changers in the video game landscape. The controller's haptic feedback brings vibration technology to the next level, with every punch, swing, and gunshot being felt in every inch of the controller.
The DualSense's adaptive triggers are where the controller really innovates, however, with voice coil technology being used to increase the resistance of the trigger, requiring more effort to push the trigger in. These adaptive triggers are being used in some unique and interesting ways in new games, with titles like Far Cry 6 changing the resistance of the triggers depending on how heavy the weapon is supposed to be, and using the adaptive triggers to imitate the resistance of a vehicle's pedals.
In Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, the adaptive triggers are used to further distinguish the game's varied arsenal of weapons, with each one having a unique primary and secondary mode based on how far the trigger is pressed in. For a series that has always revolved around its varied selection of weapons, using the adaptive triggers to give even more variation to the gameplay is an excellent use of the PlayStation 5's technology.